59 Responses to “Show #100: An Atlanta Baseball Talk Retrospective”

Awesome show. I laughed a lot. Got a real appreciation for the work and the spirit behind the podcast. It was fun to hear the developments from your perspectives to compare with mine. Because I had no idea you guys were as “inside” as you were until I heard the Glavine interview. Now I know you had no idea until then, either.

On the one current issued stabbed at at the end, I’ll add that I’m for Thurston. But if they swap him and Conrad on the 40, does that mean we risk losing Conrad like we “lost” Acosta? Wouldn’t want that. But Thurston seems a little more solid, less streaky.

*WARNING* I broke out the newly refurbished dinasour lap top and am on my third cup of coffee so this comment will be long and rammbley, at least a three thumb stroker on the ole iphone. I even took notes! “He was almost a man” referring to the college freshman cracked me up Hammy. And then later “He (Glavine) was hanging out with Will Schafer.” Speaking of cracking up I have to see the old logo as well as hear the interview of drunk Frank Wren. Is that interview still up?
I totally remember Curt’s car dying and thought maybe you guys were being sarcastic about obtaining press passes and it was all a joke. It seemed like SUCH a big unbelievable accomplishment I thought maybe it wasn’t even real. I was just wondering when’s Hammy’s turn to wear the press pass? Sounds like he needs to move back to the ATL.
Steve, freakin LOVE the Murph’s pocket call! Hilarious! Honestly, how long DID you listen to his pants? Did it sound like “boom chick-a wow wow (wow wow to be sung like electric guitar)”? Another really funny line was in regards to mormanism, “Anything for the show.”
1200 downloads on the Javy Interview! I had no idea. That’s amazing and makes me want to go back and make sure I didn’t post any stupid comments after that show. I remember in the beginning of that interview Steve, the first time you said Javy’s name it was like for a millisecond you paused and thought “holy crap, I just said his name.” Since I can only imagine all the work that goes into this little podcast I like to get a sense of the payoff for you guys. I think the DOB interview was so effortless because the Javy interview validated you guys in his mind and made you credible to the baseball world.

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, you have to thank your wives for me. Life is busy and I’m not sure how I’d feel about my husband taking on such a huge extra curricular activity. I love that you’re never trying to sell something but I kinda wish you had sponsers so you could quit your day jobs. I could be Baseball Frank’s “bug”. Before last season I didn’t pay much attention to the Minor Leagues and this is my first Spring Training to really pay attention (hangs head in shame). I’ve learned so much about baseball from you guys (message board attenders included *Bub wave*) and continue to learn each week. It must seem like I have no life for the amount of comments from “Princess Leah” but I LOVE Braves baseball and I am all alone amongst a bunch of Yankee and Phillies fans. Hammy’s comments at the end of the show (he may have been a little teary) ring true to me as well.
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!! I would “Knight” you all if I could.

So, Bobby Cox credits Heyward just showing up and taking patient at bats with transforming the team. Now we lead the majors in OBP & Walks (ST).

That’s really nice on J-Hey’s part, but it’s a little disturbing to have it confirmed that the Braves have not had patience at the plate as part of their team game plan for some years. It’s just been left up to the individual hitters.

First, identify which players in the line up that have the best natural ability to react to pitches properly. The players that take balls because they see that they’re balls, and swing at strikes because they see they’re strikes.

This eliminates Matty D, who guesses and sabotages pitchers (no complaint by me. I love it.) Who else does it eliminate? I really don’t know. Frenchy for sure, but he’s gone.

But the point is to find the 4 players -half the line up – that can do it like Chipper (TWSS.) For us; Chipper, Heyward, McCann, Prado, maybe? Anyway, figure out who they are.

Call them: your Fab 4. If they’re all at the top of the line up, you’ll need to move one down or designate a 5th hitter. Okay, so Fab Five. Stay with me.

Here’s what the Fab Five Do:

First, above all, they try and work counts. They take pitches. They wait. Lots of walks, deep counts. They do what Jason Heyward has everybody doing.

BUT,

At the beginning of each inning, two of the Fab Five are designated “Assassins”. Yeah, assassins. They lean toward swinging at the first pitch. Chosen at random, this tendency will be completely unscoutable and unpredictable. No pitcher can relax into grooving a first pitch just to get ahead because there’s nothing chartable to say who’s going to knock it to Kingdom Come. But they can’t throw outside the zone, either, because the team is patient in general.

The other 3 hitters? The non-Fabs? Well, they just do whatever. They work on their individual games as needs be. This further obscures the scoutability of the machine. Also, hitters can swap in and out of the two categories in order to break slumps, mix it up, etc.

Congrats on show #100 fellas. Hammy, Curt, Steve, the hard work is paying off and I can’t thank you enough. The most interesting part about show 100 was that you guys have had a lot good breaks to get where you are. Don’t sell yourselves short. You sound every bit as good as DOB. Keep up the great work!

My family is from Atlanta but I’ve been living in Hong Kong now for the last three years. I’ve been watching the braves since the late 80’s (I’m 27) and you guys provide my Braves fix out here in Asia. My brother and I do an international recap call once a week of the podcast. I only wish the season was year round!!

And finally…I coach a Chinese Little League team out here and I’m slowly converting them from Yankees and Red Sox fans to Braves fans. Most of the kids have grown up playing cricket and soccer. Hopefully Kawakami can help us turn the corner! If only the team can stay healthy this year…

ABT’s gone global! I know Will’s in Japan but it sounds like he’s practically family and therefore doesn’t count. Plus he’s not trying to brainwash little Asians for the cause.

Bub, thanks for the reading material. I’m often wondering about the thought process that goes into a line up. I’m pretty clear on the obvious points toward a good leadoff hitter and cleanup hitter. I would think it wise to alternate leftys and rightys where possible. Other than that I’m clueless. I also appreciated your novel because I’m out of commission and bored. I had to get shots in my shoulder due to muscle spasms and almost passed out at the doc’s office cause I’m a whimp. My 4yo told the Doc he was fired. Sympathy please…

Barely. My dad was flown to B-Ham with THREE aneurysms(sp?), including one one his aortic valve, which ruptured between the MRI and the surgery four hours later – probably on the helicopter. Not a fun night. Thank God for medical science. Unbelievable stuff they can do. The MRI was taken at 4 in the afternoon in Talladega, and by 11:30 pm, he was sewn back up from the surgery in B-ham! They even fixed a herina “while they had him up on the rack.” Crazy. He’s doing well. Doc said one more hour and we’d have lost him. One more freaking hour.

Just finished listening to the 100th…you guys are great. Sorry, Princess Leah, I AM The “Bug.” Ballpark Frank: a special shout-out to you, for shoutin’ me out. Indeed, I’m certainly a more informed fan now that I’m a regular ABT podcast listener. Curt’s point that interview-ees on the show and all of you are fans, too. Yes, you play(ed) the game or talk on the airwaves…but you’re all fans of the Game first and foremost. I appreciate you, and am happy to be The Bug. Thanks to all of you – and here’s to at least 100 more.

Hey Bug, don’t be a stranger to the message board. Sometimes us girls need some help. Like just now when I thought I was going to have to knock Bub’s block off, may have needed back up. It’s all good now but if there were to be a next time (which there WON’T!).